Lucasfilm CEO Kathleen Kennedy Highlights on Fan Base Being So Male-Dominated

The creator of The Acolyte, Leslye Headland, addressed the controversial statement. 

A comment under ‘The Acolyte’ asking, ‘Why are there so many women, girls, and minority characters increasingly dominating the ranks of Jedi?’ has raised concerns for Kathleen Kennedy. She is receiving a lot of hate and criticism for featuring homosexual characters in her show. 

Some trolls have called her series ‘The Wokelyte.’

In a recent interview for the upcoming Star Wars Series The Acolyte, Lucasfilm CEO Kathleen Kennedy spoke out against sexism in the Star Wars fandom and supported women in the role.

She addressed the issue of how fans often attack the women in the Star Wars franchise more than the men.

She said it's because of the fan base being so male-dominated. Few female characters like Daisy Ridley and Kelly Marie have faced online harassment from toxic fans. She addressed this when the most recent “Star Wars” film trilogy was released and “The Acolyte” received some attacks from the fans' side. 

“Operating within these giant franchises now, with social media and the level of expectation — it’s terrifying,” Kennedy said. “I think Leslye has struggled a little bit with it. I think a lot of the women who step into Star Wars struggle with this a bit more. Because of the fan base being so male-dominated, they sometimes get attacked in ways that can be quite personal. My belief is that storytelling does need to be representative of all people. That’s an easy decision for me.”

“As a fan myself, I know how frustrating some ‘Star Wars’ storytelling in the past has been. I’ve felt it myself,” she said. “I stand by my empathy for ‘Star Wars’ fans. But I want to be clear. Anyone who engages in bigotry, racism or hate speech … I don’t consider a fan.”

The Acolyte tries to bring balance with respect to gender in the Star Wars franchise. 

Stay tuned for more updates on ‘The Acolyte’ & all Star Wars news.